Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1887-04-24

GOLD DISCOVERIES n THR uPPER COLIN
nEA xRGIes-THE HUDSON bar COM
PAH1 Invoke ArTKSxroz OF TRx
BzExIzz sovKzxnxxz N 1876.
Il mag Be remarked that IN 1858 par
ties Of the NOrfhsrn Pacific Railroad
Exploration fGoveFnor I. l. Stevensl
hsd on the line Of route found traces OF
gold In many streams west Of the Rocky
Mountains. In 1855. the bars Of the
Upper Columbia and its tributaries
proved rsmunsrative 70 miners, and re-
ports we're numerous and credited that
north Of the forty ninth parallel gold
existed In large quantities and vas en-
;ensively difussd. Bat tie attention Of
the ofiicers Of the Hudson Bay CON-
pany dees not seem to have been ex-
cited until about March l, 1856, when
Angus Mcdonald, Esq, chief trader Of
the company, in charge Of Fort COL
vile. Washington TerritoFr, by letter
appFised Governor Douglas that gold
had been found in paying quantities on
the Upper Columbia. within British
territory. On the 10th Of April. 1856,
Governor Douglas felt warranted IN
communicating the intelligence 10 the
British Government, giving color to the
notice BY suggesting tax upon miners
and the employment Of a military force
TO secure its collection. Mr.. L4bonohere,
then Colonial Secretary, replied August
1, 1856, that the Government was unpFe-
pared ITO increase its expenses on 90
count Of revenue dsrivable from such
source from that distant quarter Of
the British domInisna." Governor
Douglas answered October %, 1856:
"The number Of persons engaged in
gold digRiHR il yet extremely limited 10
consequence Of the threatening attitude
of the native tribes, who, being ksstile
to the Americans, have uniformly op
posed the entrance Of American citizens
into their country. The people from
American Oregon are therefore excluded
from the gold district, except such a.
are resortinR to the article Of denying
their country and succeed in passing for
British subjects. The number Of per
SONS at present engaged IN the search
for gold are chiefly Of British ORIGIN
and retired servants Of the Hudson Bsy
Company" He then Feiterates that ex.
perimeDts upon he tributaries Of Fraser
river Justify the belief that the gold re-
Ri0n Is extensive.
Il must be borne In mind that
in 1856. an Indian war ragged in
Washington Territory, which bad
closed all the avenues of approach
BY land from the American Oregon int
the adjacent British territory to the
northward. General Wool, United
States Army, IN command Of the De.
partment Of the Pacific, had placed IN.
der military inteFdict. and had excluded
ell white s-ttlers from all those parts Of
Washington Territory. east Of the Gas
cade mountains, through which all the
interior or land routes to these north
ern mines traversed. Why this insinu-
alton of Governor Douglas that Amer
loans we're deferred only By the hestil.
| ity Of British Indians from rushing 10
TO enjoy these new discoveries? There
can be bat one answer. He desired to
provoke the jealousy OF the British
Colonial authorities, and thereby induce
the adoption of q policy which would
tend to save British CoIumbia for the
enjoyment Of British settlers to the ex.
clusion Of their American neighbors.
He desired the presence Of government
slp9ort and authority As an auxiliary
to the Hudson's Bay Company in ex-
acting tribute from Americans should
they be tempted into British Columbia.
Bot chief Of all be desired TO invoke the
attention Of the government to the i'm
portance Of its possessions on the North
west coast OF America. and invite such q
permaRencv OF establishment as would
secure q British competition for the
commerce, wealth and political benefit
of these regions. There had been no
Americans within British Columbia, at
that time called New Caledonia, nor
was there any real foundation for an
sieipatiDg q raid by them. waFrantipQ
the assertion that to their inevess the
natives were hostile. Yet, Governor
Douglas only affirmed what before and
since has proved axiematic-the hos
tility OF all Indians with whom the
Hudson Bay Company havs ever dealt,
against the advent Of traders and other
individuals disconnected with the Com.
pany. and especially against the Amer
loans, or Bostons, as they are called by
/ the natives.
Bot the efforts Of Governor Douglas
to secure ooloniz alton from England,
under the auspices of the British gov
eminent, we're without success. After
laborine aud waiting more than q wear
be redoubled his efforts 10 make Brit
ish Columbia attractive. HE subse-
quent effort was upon the outside world.
oovEKSoR DOUGLAS ADvERrIsEs THE
WEALTH OF TIE NTERIoR TO TIE
oUTKB WORLD.
On the 18th Of December, 1857. Gov
error Douglas wss still corresponding
With the home Governments in regard
10 these cold fields, nov designated by
him a. the ''CouteRu Mines" from the
name Of the tribe inhabisine the region.
st appears from report that the aurifer-
Gus character Of the country IL becoua-
ing more extensively developed, through
the exertion of the native Indian tribes
whe, having tested the sweets OF gold
| inoisR are devoting much of their time
and attention to that pursuit. The re-
| puted wealth of the Couteau mines il
| causing much excitement among the
population OF the United States Terri.
torres OF Washington and Oregon. and
have no doubt that q great number Of
| people frsm those Territories will be Al
tractea thither sith che return of fne
weather In spring" Although she
Governor IL silent on the subject, vet.
en- the day pEevioas TO the foregoing
dispatch. he had issued proclamation
/ declaring the existenee Of gold IN the
Fraser river and Thompson's river dis
tricts, claiming the same as . royalty Of
the Crown. aud prohibiting mining IN
British territory without first having
obtained q Iicense-the fee for which
was fxGd ct twenty one sbillings per
month.
A copy Of that proclamation vas at
once forwarded 10 DR.. William r. Tol
mie. chief factor Of the Hudson Bay
Company. 10 charge Of Fora Nisqually,
on Puget SQUAD. Washington Territorg,
for publication In The Pioaeer and Deas-
oersf, printed At Olympia. W. L.. thsn
the ooiS newspaper on the Pacific ooass,
north Of the OOlambia FiveE. As post
script 70 the advertisement, notice l.
appended The COuteaux Indiana
have driven all the whites who have az
tempted 70 work she mines eat OF their
esuntrY, sad people should b warned
thai tssy are deeldsdly dangerous
FRELnEzxAHX METHODS TO INITIATE A
GOLD ExCTTEMKNT.
At the eommescement Of the year
1858. there Gas no excitement whatever
ia 0regor M Waaafnofoa TsrrferxSss= a n